1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device and imaging method for temporarily storing a plurality of image data at the time of image processing, and carrying out image processing using this temporarily stored image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
With an imaging device such as a digital camera, a plurality of images are taken, and the imaging device may be provided with an image processing function for realizing image quality that can not be expressed with a single image. For example, in Japanese Patent laid-open No. 2008-271240 (hereafter referred to as patent publication 1) there is proposed an imaging device in which by carrying out image combination by carrying out positional alignment of a subject using a plurality of image data that have been acquired by moving focus position, all-in-focus images and blur-controlled image are generated.
Also, Japanese patent laid-open No. 2011-004353 (hereafter referred to as patent publication 2) proposes HDR (High Dynamic Range) effect technology for reproducing gradation characteristics that cannot be reproduced with a single image, by shooting a plurality of images of differing gradation and combining the plurality of images. Japanese patent laid-open No. 4325625 (hereafter referred to as patent publication 3) proposes technology for generating an image of higher resolution than an original image by combining a plurality of images.
Also, with an imaging device such as a digital camera, image files are stored in a non-volatile memory such as flash memory. In the event that data is stored in flash memory, it is common practice to write data in cluster units, and to store in a table (hereafter referred to as FAT (File Allocation Table)) for managing in which cluster data has been stored.
There is degradation in file rewrite performance due to frequent reading and writing of the FAT and directory information for managing data stored in the flash memory accompanying change in the files. It has therefore been proposed, in Japanese patent laid-open No. 2005-108304 (hereafter referred to as patent publication 4) to prevent reduction in speed due to degradation using different type of non-volatile memory for storing management information.